hey, remember me...i started the pretzel ride! sounds like its turned into a mini critical mass...NOT at all what it was meant to be. the pretzel ride was supposed to be a fun ride to eat some steamy hot pretzels with friends. many of the original members of the pretzel ride have stopped going (including myself) because of what it has become. turns out cars are allowed on the road as well as bikes. blocking the streets are not always the answer, ever think of the consequences it might bring to other bikers that encounter said drivers later in the day or week? grow up or form your own rides, beyotches!

I will back you up on this one. I was there with you from the first ride and I rarely go now because of what it has become. It used to be about everyone being friendly and riding in a tight group while talking and joking around. Now when everyone meets, they separate into a bunch of different groups and just rides their seperate ways. Its just gotten too big with too many younger kids who just like the anonymity of being in a group so they can take up the entire road and yell at cars that are trying to pass. Again, maybe I am just old and grumpy, but I dont see myself attending much until it thins out (which it has for the past 2 winters). This is the same reason why I stopped attending Critical Mass... now Critical Mass has taken over the pretzel ride.... BAHHHHH!!!

im gonna go ahead and say that a significant amount of the people who attend the ride now (like 85%+) dont read bikeforums. so in a sense you are preaching to the choir.

that said, i was there from close to the beginning as well. i have been on pretzel rides where its just been me and one other person. ive watched it grow in size. i did really enjoy it when it was small. getting together with a few good people and taking a leisurely ride. but really, i dont hate on the fact that it has gotten so big. the whole taking up both lanes and going through lights to keep the ride together is just something that happens when you are doing a group ride with 50+ people in the city. i dont think ive ever seen anyone on the pretzel ride intentionally messing with cars like the jerks at critical mass. its still leisurely and its still fun. i hope you guys come out more when it gets down to 15 degrees and there will be less people. i miss the original pretzel ride crew.

you sir are completely correct. and you arent grumpy and you arent "old"